The Flywheel

Program for June 8th

The Crucible

Michael Sturtz Founder and Executive Director of the Crucible describes The Crucible which is a non-profit educational collaboration of arts, industry and community. The Crucible is the Bay Area's only nonprofit sculpture studio, educational foundry and metal fabrication shop offering classes in fine and industrial arts.

MEETING OF June 1, 2007

Welcome, Invocation, Thought for the Day

George Egan our dynamic and forceful president was replaced with our attractive and enthusiastic incoming president for the ’07-’08 year Pamela Jones. (Applause Here) Red Badger Leigh Johnson led us in the pledge and Henry Kelman provided the thought for the day.

Visiting Rotarians

Rotarians with Guests

John Troughton brought his son Chance today. Glenn Daggs brought his son Earl Moffet to today’s meeting. How can Glenn have a son who is older than him? (Answer next time)and Jon Lawlis brought Glenn's son Nick :-)

Sunshine Report

Today’s sunshine report was cloudy. Elof Granberg has suffered a setback with his new set of bionic knees. Apparently an infection has set in, but it is my guess that it will be difficult to keep an old lumberjack down and he will bounce back. Never the less we wish him the very best. We also heard that Jim “The Beav” Beaver has been fighting pneumonia for a couple of weeks indicating he should begin a regiment of much stronger Scotch.

Announcements

See David Brown and Alan Baer for info on the 1st Annual Richmond Rotary Regatta and Picnic. This event is happening on Saturday, July 21st. There is a small fee for the boaters but the picnic and fellowship is free.

Recognitions

Don Lau did recognitions today. He asked Bill Terry, who is building a new humungous building for his new aggregate business next to Levin Terminal, what he is celebrating. Bill was celebrating his 32nd anniversary with his wife Miriam.

Happy & Sad Dollars

Jim Young tithed today to congratulate himself on the good work he did raising his very successful and academically accomplished son of airplane (that flew) design fame as his son also got a 3.75 semester GPA in engineering and advanced math. Other H&S $$$ were lost to time for lack of attentiveness on the part of several editors in the audience.

Raffle Results

There was only $80 in the kitty and nobody won it.

Rotavision - An Update

Tracy Giles, an El Cerrito Club member and the driving force behind Rotavision, came today to review what Rotavision is and how the Richmond club has been a big help in supporting it – a trend that she wants to encourage.

Tracy’s passion in Rotavision has interesting roots and her story is touching.

She lost a child, a boy during pregnancy. Sadness and disappointment for both she and her husband overwhelmed them. Their response was a trip. But it was not going to be a vacation. It was going to be a search for spiritual meaning.
They were leaving for 6 months, not the usual 2 week whirlwind of plane flights and shuffling between hotel rooms that normally suffices for a relaxing vacation in America. (Wrong).

They visited many countries but it was her visit to Nepal where she found what she was looking for.

One night, at high elevation Nepal, the night sky shined brilliantly. A particularly bright shooting star streaked overhead. “Make a wish” her husband said. Pensively she looked to the sky; she didn’t have to think; she new what she wanted. “What did you wish for?” he asked. She whispered “I can’t tell or it may not come true”.

Just then, the sky exploded with shooting stars one after another and another and another lulling her into a mystical trance of enlightenment. Words cannot describe the feeling.

Her wish came true.

Today her interest in Rotavision is motivated by this event. The first eye clinic that they have raised money for was in Nepal. The clinics that have come after in many other countries also deal with eye maladies. They have also chosen to focus on eye diseases that affect children because the ophthalmologists in those countries have little experience with children who require anesthesia unlike adults who can use local anesthesia.

Richmond Rotary plays a part in this story. We have been strong supporters of Rotavision efforts and she wants us to know that it is appreciated.

Dr. Otis Paul who is the medical spirit of Rotavision
joined the presentation later, since he was busy doctoring in
San Francisco. Dr. Paul provided us with a condensed PowerPoint
presentation of the many clinics and accomplishments of Rotavision
around the world, with emphasis on the “empowerment” model now
uses to train local eye doctors to treat pediatric vision problems.

“Who was that Masked Man who took the Flywheel notes today?”
“He left this silver lining where the old abandoned factory used to be.”
“Son, that was the Lone Renovator.”

Upcoming Programs

June 15
“Street Tech’s” Ex. Director Barrie Hathaway provides the club with the history, mission and future plans for Street Tech, the home gown non-profit technology training center serving disadvantaged and under-employed adults of the Bay Region from their facility in San Pablo.